Chai tea is a flavored tea beverage made by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic spices and herbs. Originating in India, the beverage has gained worldwide popularity.
There is no single, recognized recipe or preparation method for chai tea, and many families have their own versions of the tea. The tea leaves steep in the hot water long enough to extract intense flavour, ideally without releasing bitter tannins. Because of the large range of possible variations, chai can be considered a class of tea rather than a specific kind. However, chai generally, in examples, has four basic components, tea base (usually a strong black tea), spices (usually a mixture of one or more of the following examples: ground ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, fennel seed, peppercorn, nutmeg, and cloves), milk, and sweetener (examples: plain white sugar, brown sugar, honey, jaggery).
The traditional method of preparing chai tea is through decoction, by actively simmering or boiling a mixture of milk and water with loose leaf tea, sweeteners and spices. The solid tea and spice residues are strained off from chai tea before serving. Chai brewing is considered to be an art form, and the color, smell and taste of chai are emphasized. Brewing chai tea typically involves the right amount of tea leaves, water, milk, and spices, the right temperature and amount of time, and the sequence and timing of adding ingredients to the brew pot. If the tea leaves soak in the water too long, the chai tea becomes astringent.